Official Course Syllabus for PSU 016.550, Fall 2011: Statistics First-Year Seminar

What is a syllabus? A written or online syllabus must be distributed to students in each course within the drop/add period for that course (the first ten calendar days of a semester or its equivalent). In addition to course content and expectations, the syllabus must include the course examination policy, basis for grades, and academic integrity policy for the course. Changes to the syllabus shall also be given to the students in writing.

In this class, I will interpret "distributed to students" to mean posted on this web site, www.stat.psu.edu/~dhunter/016/syllabus.html. In some other classes, you might receive an actual piece of paper.

General description of this course: This course is designed to ease students' transition from high school to college, to help students to become integrated into collegiate academic life, specifically in the department of statistics, and to facilitate student awareness of the numerous opportunities available at University Park. Specifically, this course will include the following elements and more:

• A discussion of time management: We will discuss how to adjust to academic life at Penn State University. As part of this discussion, you will be asked to establish a weekly plan that accounts for classes, meals, 30-40 hours of studying/reading, exercise and extracurricular activities, and (importantly) enough sleep. You will also be asked to create an academic plan for the courses you will take at Penn State.
• An introduction to learning resources at University Park: We will discuss the libraries and electronic resources available on campus. You will visit the library, either individually or with the class, and you will be asked to complete an assignment that requires the use of the learning resources on campus.
• A survey of career development opportunities at Penn State: We will have a visit from a representative of the College of Science office of career and international education who will discuss the co-op and study abroad programs as well as career development opportunities more generally at Penn State. You will be asked to create a "fantasy resume" to think about the types of skills you would like to be able to graduate with.
• Discussions of opportunities at Penn State: At a campus as large and diverse as Penn State's, there is an incredible array of activities available to students outside the classroom. We will discuss some of these throughout the semester and you will be asked to attend some of them and document your attendance as part of the assignments in this course.
• A bit of statistics: Finally, we will discuss a few basic yet important statistical ideas in this course!

Textbook: None, but each student should download the free R statistical software found at http://www.r-project.org/.

Schedule: W 9:05-9:55 in 210 Thomas. Class may not always meet in 210 Thomas. If the class will meet elsewhere, this will be posted on the course schedule and announced in class in advance. You should make a habit of checking the announcements on the course schedule at least once a week.

Website: www.stat.psu.edu/~dhunter/016

Instructor: David Hunter <dhunter@stat.psu.edu>, 310 Thomas Building, 863-0979
Office hours: By appointment (send email) or walk-in (if I'm in)

Weekly Assignments: Each week, there will be an assignment given in class and posted on the course schedule at www.stat.psu.edu/~dhunter/016/schedule. Each assignment will be worth 9 points and it will be due the following week in class. Late assignments will be worth at most 5 points.

Attendance: Attendance in this class is mandatory. (Remember, it's an easy class and it only meets once a week!) If you must miss a class, please contact the instructor BEFOREHAND and give the reason. You will receive 2 points each week for attending class or for a pre-excused absence. Students who miss class are still responsible for turning in assignments on time, which means before 9:05 on Wednesday morning.

World in Conversation Project: The World in Conversation Project (WCP) is a one time, 95-minute dialogue that you are required to attend as part of this class. WCP employs Penn State undergraduates to lead small group discussions about a range of relevant cultural issues. Because their mission is simply to open dialogue, the facilitators will not tell you what you should think; instead, they will ask you to express what you actually think. Then you will discuss these views with the other participants. This Socratic process is intended to enhance your critical thinking skills.

Participation in the WCP is worth 3 points toward your grade. WCP programs occur outside of our regular class meeting times. Most are held in the evenings, although some daytime dialogues are available to accommodate your schedule. One week before the programming for our class begins, you will receive an email explaining how to register. In order to receive credit, your attendance will be recorded while you are there. But keep in mind: You will not be able to attend the program (or receive credit) if you are more than 5 minutes late. For more information on the WCP, visit this website: www.worldinconversation.org

Grades: There are 15 Wednesdays during the semester (every Wednesday from August 24 through December 7, excluding November 23). There will not be an assignment given on November 16 or December 7, which means 13 weekly assignments. The total points possible are therefore (13 times 9) plus (15 times 2) plus 3, or 150.

Final letter grades will be determined as follows:

	B+: 88-89%	C+: 78-79%
A : 94-100%	B : 84-87%	C : 70-77%	D : 60-69%
A-: 90-93%	B-: 80-83%

Grade tally for last two years: thirteen A, four A-minus, one D.

You should be able to track your grades for this course using ANGEL.

Academic Integrity Statement: All Penn State and Eberly College of Science policies regarding academic integrity apply to this course. See http://science.psu.edu/current-students/Integrity/Policy.html for details. We will discuss academic integrity during at least one class this semester.

ECOS Code of Mutual Respect: The Eberly College of Science Code of Mutual Respect and Cooperation (www.science.psu.edu/climate/Code-of-Mutual-Respect final.pdf) embodies the values that we hope our faculty, staff, and students possess and will endorse to make the Eberly College of Science a place where every individual feels respected and valued, as well as challenged and rewarded.